The girl had not altogether recovered from the rude shock of her
grandmother's late attack.

'About three weeks,' faltered Mary. 'But it is more than a week now
since I was in the garden. It was quite by accident that I first went
there. Perhaps I ought to explain.'

And Mary, not being gainsayed, went on to describe that first afternoon
when she had seen the old man brooding in the sun. She drew quite a
pathetic picture of his joyless solitude, whilst all nature around and
about him was looking so glad in the spring sunshine. There was a long
silence, a silence of some minutes, when she had done; and Lady
Maulevrier lay with lowered eyelids, deep in thought. Mary began to hope
that she had touched her grandmother's heart, and that her request would
be granted: but she was soon undeceived.

'I am sorry to be obliged to refuse you a favour, Mary, but I must stand
by Steadman,' said her ladyship. 'When I gave Steadman permission to
shelter his aged kinsman in my house, I made it a condition that the old
man should be kept in the strictest care by himself and his wife, and
that nobody in this establishment should be troubled by him. This
condition has been so scrupulously adhered to that the old man's
existence is known to no one in this house except you and me; and you
have discovered the fact only by accident. I must beg you to keep this
secret to yourself. Steadman has particular reasons for wishing to
conceal the fact of his uncle's residence here. The old man is not
actually a lunatic. If he were we should be violating the law by keeping
him here. He is only imbecile from extreme old age; the body has
outlived the mind, that is all. But should any officious functionary
come down upon Fellside, this imbecility might be called madness, and